Pep Guardiola’s 100th UEFA Champions League match in charge of Manchester City turned into a night he will want to forget, as Bayer Leverkusen delivered a near-perfect away performance to earn a 2–0 win at the Etihad Stadium. The result marked only their second Champions League victory on English soil (D1, L8).

In a surprise move, Guardiola made sweeping changes following Saturday’s disappointing 2–1 Premier League loss to Newcastle United, rotating 10 players out of the starting XI. Despite the unfamiliar lineup, City began brightly. Nathan Aké forced Mark Flekken into a sharp save at the near post early on, hinting at a positive start for the hosts.

But Leverkusen quickly settled and began to impose themselves. Midway through the first half, they carved City open with a smooth, incisive move from deep. Christian Kofane cushioned a clever knockdown in the box, setting up Alejandro Grimaldo to drill a precise low shot past James Trafford and silence the Etihad.

City, trailing for the first time in this season’s Champions League, pushed for a response before the break. Tijjani Reijnders tested Flekken with a firm right-footed effort, but the Dutch goalkeeper was equal to it.

Unhappy with his team’s first-half display, Guardiola turned to his bench at halftime, introducing Phil Foden, Jérémy Doku, and Nico O’Reilly in search of energy and creativity. But before the trio could influence the game, Leverkusen struck again. Less than 10 minutes into the second half, Patrik Schick got across Aké to glance in a delicate header from Ibrahim Maza’s superb inswinging cross, giving the visitors a commanding 2–0 lead and scoring in his second consecutive European match.

The double blow prompted Guardiola to call on Erling Haaland, who nearly produced an immediate lifeline. The Norwegian burst through on goal only to be denied by the onrushing Flekken, who continued to frustrate City throughout the closing stages.

The Leverkusen goalkeeper capped his outstanding performance with another decisive save, tipping away Rayan Cherki’s late free-kick to secure all three points. The victory lifts Kasper Hjulmand’s side to 13th in the league phase standings, narrowing the gap to sixth-placed City to just two points and ending the English champions’ unbeaten run in the competition.